Sleeplessness, a universal condition
with diverse causes, may be increasingly
diagnosed and treated (or
medicalized) as insomnia. We examined
the trend in sleeplessness complaints,
diagnoses, and prescriptions
of sedative hypnotics in physician
office visits from 1993 to 2007. Consistent
with the medicalization hypothesis,
sleeplessness complaints
and insomnia diagnoses increased
over time and were far outpaced by
prescriptions for sedative hypnotics.
Insomnia may be a public health
concern, but potential overtreatment
with marginally effective, expensive
medications with nontrivial side effects
raisesdefinitepopulationhealth
concerns. (Am J Public Health.
2011;101:1429–1433. doi:10.2105/
AJPH.2010.300014)